A Modern Herbal | Dandelion [ Top ] ---Parts Used Medicinally--- The root, fresh and dried, the young tops. All parts of the plant contain a somewhat bitter, milky juice (latex), but the juice of the root being still more powerful is the part of the plant most used for medicinal purposes. ---History--- The first mention of the Dandelion as a medicine is in the works of the Arabian physicians of the tenth and eleventh centuries, who speak of it as a sort of wild Endive, under the name of Taraxcacon. In this country, we find allusion to it in the Welsh medicines of the thirteenth century. Dandelion was much valued as a medicine in the times of Gerard and Parkinson, and is still extensively employed. Dandelion roots have long been largely used on the Continent, and the plant is cultivated largely in India as a remedy for liver complaints. The root is perennial and tapering, simple or more or less branched, attaining in a good soil a length of a foot or more and 1/2 inch to an inch in diameter. Old roots divide at the crown into several heads.

The root is fleshy and brittle, externally of a dark brown, internally white and abounding in an inodorous milky juice of bitter, but not disagreeable taste. Only large, fleshy and well-formed roots should be collected, from plants two years old, not slender, forked ones. Roots produced in good soil are easier to dig up without breaking, and are thicker and less forked than those growing on waste places and by the roadside. Collectors should, therefore only dig in good, free soil, in moisture and shade, from meadow-land. Dig up in wet weather, but not during frost, which materially lessens the activity of the roots. Avoid breaking the roots, using a long trowel or a fork, lifting steadily and carefully. Shake off as much of the earth as possible and then cleanse the roots, the easiest way being to leave them in a basket in a running stream so that the water covers them, for about an hour, or shake them, bunched, in a tank of clean water. Cut off the crowns of leaves, but be careful in so doing not to leave any scales on the top.

Do not cut or slice the roots or the valuable milky juice on which their medicinal value depends will be wasted by bleeding. [ Top ] ---Cultivation--- As only large, well-formed roots are worth collecting, some people prefer to grow Dandelions as a crop, as by this means large roots are insured and they are more easily dug, generally being ploughed up. About 4 lb. of seed to the acre should be allowed, sown in drills, 1 foot apart. The crops should be kept clean by hoeing, and all flower-heads should be picked off as soon as they appear, as otherwise the grower's own land and that of his neighbours will be smothered with the weed when the seeds ripen. The yield should be 4 or 5 tons of fresh roots to the acre in the second year. Dandelion roots shrink very much in drying, losing about 76 per cent of their weight, so that 100 parts of fresh roots yield only about 22 parts of dry material. Under favourable conditions, yields at the rate of 1,000 to 1,500 lb. of dry roots per acre have been obtained from second-year plants cultivated.

Dandelion root can only be economically collected when a meadow in which it is abundant is ploughed up. Under such circumstances the roots are necessarily of different ages and sizes, the seeds sowing themselves in successive years. The roots then collected after washing and drying, have to be sorted into different grades. The largest, from the size of a lead pencil upwards, are cut into straight pieces 2 to 3 inches long, the smaller side roots being removed, these are sold at a higher price as the finest roots. The smaller roots fetch a less price, and the trimmings are generally cut small, sold at a lower price and used for making Dandelion Coffee. Every part of the root is thus used. The root before being dried should have every trace of the leaf-bases removed as their presence lessens the value of the root. In collecting cultivated Dandelion advantage is obtained if the seeds are all sown at one time, as greater uniformity in the size of the root is obtainable, and in deep soil free from stones, the seedlings will produce elongated, straight roots with few branches, especially if allowed to be somewhat crowded on the same principles that coppice trees produce straight trunks.

Time is also saved in digging up the roots which can thus be sold at prices competing with those obtained as the result of cheaper labour on the Continent. The edges of fields when room is allowed for the plough-horses to turn, could easily be utilized if the soil is good and free from stones for both Dandelion and Burdock, as the roots are usually much branched in stony ground, and the roots are not generally collected until October when the harvest is over. The roots gathered in this month have stored up their food reserve of Inulin, and when dried present a firm appearance, whilst if collected in spring, when the food reserve in the root is used up for the leaves and flowers, the dried root then presents a shrivelled and porous appearance which renders it unsaleable. The medicinal properties of the root are, therefore, necessarily greater in proportion in the spring. Inulin being soluble in hot water, the solid extract if made by boiling the root, often contains a large quantity of it, which is deposited in the extract as it cools. The roots are generally dried whole, but the largest ones may sometimes be cut transversely into pieces 3 to 6 inches long.

Collected wild roots are, however, seldom large enough to necessitate cutting. Drying will probably take about a fortnight. When finished, the roots should be hard and brittle enough to snap, and the inside of the roots white, not grey The roots should be kept in a dry place after drying, to avoid mould, preferably in tins to prevent the attacks of moths and beetles. Dried Dandelion is exceedingly liable to the attacks of maggots and should not be kept beyond one season. Dried Dandelion root is 1/2 inch or less in thickness, dark brown, shrivelled, with wrinkles running lengthwise, often in a spiral direction; when quite dry, it breaks easily with a short, corky fracture, showing a very thick, white bark, surrounding a wooden column. The latter is yellowish, very porous, without pith or rays. A rather broad but indistinct cambium zone separates the wood from the bark, which latter exhibits numerous well-defined, concentric layers, due to the milk vessels. This structure is quite characteristic and serves to distinguish Dandelion roots from other roots like it.

There are several flowers easily mistaken for the Dandelion when in blossom, but these have either hairy leaves or branched flower-stems, and the roots differ either in structure or shape. Dried Dandelion root somewhat resembles Pellitory and Liquorice roots, but Pellitory differs in having oil glands and also a large radiate wood, and Liquorice has also a large radiate wood and a sweet taste. The root of Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus) is sometimes substituted for Dandelion root. It is a plant with hairy, not smooth leaves, and the fresh root is tough, breaking with difficulty and rarely exuding much milky juice. Some kinds of Dock have also been substituted, and also Chicory root. The latter is of a paler colour, more bitter and has the laticiferous vessels in radiating lines. In the United States it is often substituted for Dandelion. Dock roots have a prevailing yellowish colour and an astringent taste. During recent years, a small form of a Dandelion root has been offered by Russian firms, who state that it is sold and used as Dandelion in that country. This root is always smaller than the root of T.

officinale, has smaller flowers, and the crown of the root has often a tuft of brown woolly hairs between the leaf bases at the crown of the root, which are never seen in the Dandelion plant in this country, and form a characteristic distinction, for the root shows similar concentric, horny rings in the thick white bark as well as a yellow porous woody centre. These woolly hairs are mentioned in Greenish's Materia Medica, and also in the British Pharmaceutical Codex, as a feature of Dandelion root, but no mention is made of them in the Pharmacographia, nor in the British Pharmacopceia or United States Pharmacopceia, and it is probable, therefore, that Russian specimens have been used for describing the root, and that the root with brown woolly hairs belongs to some other species of Taraxacum.

[ Top ] ---Chemical Constituents--- The chief constituents of Dandelion root are Taraxacin, acrystalline, bitter substance, of which the yield varies in roots collected at different seasons, and Taraxacerin, an acrid resin, with Inulin (a sort of sugar which replaces starch in many of the Dandelion family, Compositae), gluten, gum and potash. The root contains no starch, but early in the year contains much uncrystallizable sugar and laevulin, which differs from Inulin in being soluble in cold water. This diminishes in quantity during the summer and becomes Inulin in the autumn. The root may contain as much as 24 per cent. In the fresh root, the Inulin is present in the cell-sap, but in the dry root it occurs as an amorphodus, transparent solid, which is only slightly soluble in cold water, but soluble in hot water. There is a difference of opinion as to the best time for collecting the roots.

The British Pharmacopceia considers the autumn dug root more bitter than the spring root, and that as it contains about 25 per cent insoluble Inulin, it is to be preferred on this account to the spring root, and it is, therefore, directed that in England the root should be collected between September and February, it being considered to be in perfection for Extract making in the month of November. Bentley, on the other hand, contended that it is more bitter in March and most of all in July, but that as in the latter month it would generally be inconvenient for digging it, it should be dug in the spring, when the yield of Taraxacin, the bitter soluble principle, is greatest. On account of the variability of the constituents of the plant according to the time of year when gathered, the yield and composition of the extract are very variable. If gathered from roots collected in autumn, the resulting product yields a turbid solution with water; if from spring-collected roots, the aqueous solution will be clear and yield but very little sediment on standing, because of the conversion of the Inulin into Laevulose and sugar at this active period of the plant's life.

In former days, Dandelion Juice was the favourite preparation both in official and domestic medicine. Provincial druggists sent their collectors for the roots and expressed the juice while these were quite fresh. Many country druggists prided themselves on their Dandelion Juice. The most active preparations of Dandelion, the Juice (Succus Taraxaci) and the Extract (Extractum Taraxaci), are made from the bruised fresh root. The Extract prepared from the fresh root is sometimes almost devoid of bitterness. The dried root alone was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia. The leaves are not often used, except for making Herb-Beer, but a medicinal tincture is sometimes made from the entire plant gathered in the early summer. It is made with proof spirit. When collecting the seeds care should be taken when drying them in the sun, to cover them with coarse muslin, as otherwise the down will carry them away. They are best collected in the evening, towards sunset, or when the damp air has caused the heads to close up. The tops should be cut on a dry day, when quite free of rain or dew, and all insect-eaten or stained leaves rejected.

[ Top ] ---Medicinal Action and Uses--- Diuretic, tonic and slightly aperient. It is a general stimulant to the system, but especially to the urinary organs, and is chiefly used in kidney and liver disorders. Dandelion is not only official but is used in many patent medicines. Not being poisonous, quite big doses of its preparations may be taken. Its beneficial action is best obtained when combined with other agents. The tincture made from the tops may be taken in doses of 10 to 15 drops in a spoonful of water, three times daily. It is said that its use for liver complaints was assigned to the plant largely on the doctrine of signatures, because of its bright yellow flowers of a bilious hue. In the hepatic complaints of persons long resident in warm climates, Dandelion is said to afford very marked relief. A broth of Dandelion roots, sliced and stewed in boiling water with some leaves of Sorrel and the yolk of an egg, taken daily for some months, has been known to cure seemingly intractable cases of chronic liver congestion.

A strong decoction is found serviceable in stone and gravel: the decoction may be made by boiling 1 pint of the sliced root in 20 parts of water for 15 minutes, straining this when cold and sweetening with brown sugar or honey. A small teacupful may be taken once or twice a day. Dandelion is used as a bitter tonic in atonic dyspepsia, and as a mild laxative in habitual constipation. When the stomach is irritated and where active treatment would be injurious, the decoction or extract of Dandelion administered three or four times a day, will often prove a valuable remedy. It has a good effect in increasing the appetite and promoting digestion. Dandelion combined with other active remedies has been used in cases of dropsy and for induration of the liver, and also on the Continent for phthisis and some cutaneous diseases. A decoction of 2 OZ. of the herb or root in 1 quart of water, boiled down to a pint, is taken in doses of one wineglassful every three hours for scurvy, scrofula, eczema and all eruptions on the surface of the body.

---Dandelion Tea--- Infuse 1 OZ. of Dandelion in a pint of boiling water for 10 minutes; decant, sweeten with honey, and drink several glasses in the course of the day. The use of this tea is efficacious in bilious affections, and is also much approved of in the treatment of dropsy. Or take 2 OZ. of freshly-sliced Dandelion root, and boil in 2 pints of water until it comes to 1 pint; then add 1 OZ. of compound tincture of Horseradish. Dose, from 2 to 4 OZ. Use in a sluggish state of the liver. Or 1 OZ. Dandelion root, 1 OZ. Black Horehound herb, 1/2 OZ. Sweet Flag root, 1/4 OZ. Mountain Flax. Simmer the whole in 3 pints of water down to 1 1/2 pint, strain and take a wineglassful after meals for biliousness and dizziness. ---For Gall Stones--- 1 OZ. Dandelion root, 1 OZ.

Parsley root, 1 OZ. Balm herb, 1/2 OZ. Ginger root, 1/2 OZ. Liquorice root. Place in 2 quarts of water and gently simmer down to 1 quart, strain and take a wineglassful every two hours. For a young child suffering from jaundice: 1 OZ. Dandelion root, 1/2 oz. Ginger root, 1/2 oz. Caraway seed, 1/2 oz. Cinnamon bark, 1/4 oz. Senna leaves. Gently boil in 3 pints of water down to 1 1/2 pint, strain, dissolve 1/2 lb. sugar in hot liquid, bring to a boil again, skim all impurities that come to the surface when clear, put on one side to cool, and give frequently in teaspoonful doses. Wild Nature of the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain): The many names of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). The many names of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Deze post in het Nederlands: klik hier .

Why the dandelion is not named a Leontodon (Hawkbit). INTRODUCTION. Who doesn´t know the dandelion, this common yet so beautiful flower? The dandelion does not exist of a single species, but of an agglomeration of many micro species, which is partly the result of its possibility of multiplication by means of unfertilized seeds (cloning). The plant forms a rosette with strongly toothed leaves and the stems are hollow with on top a flower head consisting of many yellow ray florets. The dandelion is listed among the composites or Asteraceae. The plant has a surprising number of applications, but to avoid too long a post only its naming is discussed here. Already many years ago I noticed that the meaning of dandelion in English and Spanish is "lion´s tooth", although in the Netherlands the name lion´s tooth is reserved for the genus Leontodon (hawkbits), while the dandelion is called "horse-flower". However, to make the confusion complete some Spaniards call the dandelion "meacama (= piss-a-bed) and the hawkbits (Leontodon) they call "diente de león". So this asked for a little research.

READ FURTHER AND ENJOY THE PHOTOS. ORIGIN OF THE LATIN NAME. The original Latin name for dandelion which was given t this plant by Linnaeus in 1753 was "Leontodon taraxacum". The reason for the genus name seems pretty clear: in Greek Leontodon means lion´s tooth and this was (and still is) a common name of the dandelion in many languages. The origin of the species name taraxacum is less clear. It is known that around the year 900 the Persian scientist el Razi called the plant "tarashaquq", also the dandelion was used in the treatment of an eye disease called "taraxis", while others think that the name may be derived from the Greek word "taraxos" (disorder). later other scientists changed the name into "Taraxacum officinale" hereby elevating the old species name to genus level, while the new species name "officinale" means"from the pharmacy", this because of the granted medicinal properties. ORIGIN OF THE DUTCH NAME.

The Dutch name horse-flower first appeared in 1906 as a general accepted name in the book "Dutch plant names" of Henry Heukels. The name probably originated because of the fact that horses (also rabbits and pigs) love to eat the leaves of this plant and that it was commonly used as feed. Sometimes it was even named "horse-lettuce". Of course there are other explanations. CONFUSION BETWEEN DANDELION AND LEONTODON (HAWKBITS). It is curious that the dandelion in many European languages is called "lion´s tooth", while in the Netherlands this name is used to identify the genus Leontodon (leon = lion and odons = tooth). Moreover, the Leontodon looks a lot like the dandelion, where does this confusion actually come from? The European common name "lion´s tooth" is due to the highly serrated leaves that resemble the teeth of a lion and precisely because this name is geographically so widespread it is probably a very old name.

For example, the English name dandelion comes from the French "dent de lion", which probably dates from the time just after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, when many French words were added to the Old English. So it is not so strange that Linnaeus gave the Latin genus name Leontodon (= lion´s tooth) to the dandelion. In the first edition of Species Plantarum (Linnaeus, 1753) several dandelion-like flowers (the hawkbits) were also classified in the genus Leontodon, of which the dandelion could be considered as the “godfather”. However, it is funny to see that other botanists soon found out that the dandelion is actually not so much related to the hawkbits and for this reason it was taken out of the genus Leontodon and renamed into “Taraxacum officinale”. Of course it was easier to rename only one species, instead of several species, even dough the dandelion had given its name to the genus.

Examples of languages here the dandelion is called lion´s tooth are: English (dandelion and lion´s tooth), Spanish (diente de leon), Portuguese (dente de Leäo), Italian (diente di leone), German (Löwezahn) Norwegian (Løvetann), Danish (Løvetand), Catalan (dent de leo) and Welsh (dant y llew). OTHER NAMES OF THE DANDELION. The dandelion is a plant with a lot of qualities and therefore it has also a lot of other widespread common names e.g. piss flower, endive or chicory and mole´s salad. The Dutch name piss flower can also be found in English (pee-a-bed, wet-a-bed or piss-a-bed), French (pissenlit or pisse au lit), Spanish (meacama), Catalan (pixallits) or Italian (piscialetto). These names are due to the diuretic properties of the dandelion, so it´s better not to consume a dandelion lettuce just before going to bed.

In English, the dandelion is also called white or wild endive, while in Turkish it is also called black endive or chicory, this last name because the outside of the white root is dark colored. Al ready around the year 900 the Persian scientist el Razi wrote "the tarashaquq is like the chicory". The similarity between endive (a kind of chicory) and the dandelion is both due to the physical resemblance of the leaves and to their properties. Endive, chicory and wild chicory all belong to the genus Chicorium and can be eaten as a slightly bitter vegetable, just like the dandelion. Also, the roots of both the chicory and the dandelion can be used as a coffee substitute. Another name for dandelion is mole´s salad (in French "salad du taupe" and in Dutch “molsla”). So as mentioned above, the leaves are edible but somewhat bitter, which can be reduced by covering them with soil. Formerly, these bleached leaves were sometimes searched in molehills, hence the name.

The dandelion has many other names, some of which are related to the puff-ball stage of the flower, but this post is already long enough, isn´t it? Dandelions grow often just along the road, which in some Northern Italian dialects led to the name "dog-piss" (pisacan), for obvious reasons. To obtain 1 kg of honey the bees must visit over 100.000 dandelion flowers. There also exists a dandelion honey which can be made by boiling the flowers. Posted by Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg. Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg. The Common Dandelion is an introduced and naturalized perennial forb that grows with erect to ascending stems from 2 to 12 inches high. Flowering stems (technically scapes) are round, green, sometimes with purplish coloration, are smooth and contain a milky juice. A plant typically produces 1 to 10 stems. The leaves are all basal forming a rosette and can number as many as 20+ on a robust plant.

They are oblong to spatulate in shape, held horizontally to erect, long and pinnately divided into shallow to deep lobes with the terminal lobe usually larger or as large as the nearest two lateral lobes. Lobes usually have teeth which become very small and pointed on the lobes near the leaf tips. Leaf stalks usually have narrow wings. The prominent main vein of the leaf is hollow, like the scape and has the same milky juice. It appears depressed on the upper surface and very prominent on the underside. The leaf underside is slightly paler in color with some fine soft hair. Large leaves can show considerable variation. The floral array consists of a single one to two inch wide flower head at the top of each scape. The flower head consists of 40 to 100+ ray florets with yellow to orange-yellow corollas. These florets open from the outer edge toward the center. The anthers of the five stamens are usually also yellowish and the styles, which have a forked tip, are yellow to brownish. The flower head has two groups of floral bracts (phyllaries and calyculi).

The inner group -the phyllaries - number 13 to 18, are in two series, are linear in shape with pointed tips. They are appressed to the base of the florets forming a cup around the ovaries and remain that way until the head turns to seed. The outer group of calyculi number 12 to 18, are in two series, lanceolate in shape, dark pointed tips, usually with hairy margins, and reflexed during flowering and seed production. Seed: When fertility is accomplished, the inner group of phyllaries close up, resembling the original flower bud, until the seeds are mature. Then they re-open, reflexing backward, when the seeds are mature. These are a dry grayish-green to olive-brown ribbed cypsela, spindle shaped at one end and narrowed to a long beak at the other, the beak being 2 to 3x the length of the cypsela; this beak supports a fluffy white pappus. The ribs number 4 to 12 and are sharply pointed. The seed head is then a gossamer ball in shape and seeds are distributed by the wind.

Habitat: Common Dandelion grows from a stout fleshy taproot. The plant does not spread vegetatively but instead by seed dispersal. Late germinating seeds will form a rosette only the first year. The prolific nature of seed production leads this plant to be found in most areas that are not cultivated. It adapts to most soils, does best in full sun with moist to dry conditions. Names: The genus Taraxacum is the Medieval name for the Dandelion, believed to be derived from the Arabic and then to the Persian words talkh chakok, referring to a bitter herb. Mrs. Grieve (Ref.#7) lists several alternatives, one being the derivation from the Greek taraxos, for 'disorder' and akos, for remedy, together referring to the curative action of the plant. The species name, officinale, means 'sold in shops' and refers to the former availability of the plant in places that provided herbal medicines.

The author name for the plant classification, ‘F.H.Wigg.’ refers to Friedrich Heinrich Wiggers, (1746-1811) German botanist whose prime work was about the flora of Holstein - Florae Primitiae holsatica. The common name of Dandelion is often said to be from the resemblence of the leaf margins to the jaw of a lion and its teeth as this sort of reference was made in several old herbals. Comparisons: The two most look-a-like species of Taraxacum are T. erythrospermum, the Red-seeded Dandelion, and T. lapponicum, the Lapland Dandelion. However in both the cypselae are reddish to reddish-brown. Additionally T. lapponicum is found only in boreal to low Arctic areas. See bottom of page for notes on the Garden's planting history, distribution in Minnesota and North America, lore and other references. Above: Each flower head can have 40 to 100+ ray florets. The styles are a darker color and have a forked tip, extending above the rays.

The underside of the head has a series of floral bracts spreading outward under the rays (the phyllaries) while an outer group (the calyculi) reflexes backward when the flower opens. Below: Small plants will have only one scape (the flowering stem). Leaves are all basal, forming a rosette. The upper section of the leaf usually has a larger terminal lobe with very fine teeth as shown here while the leaf underside is paler in color due to very fine hair. Note the main vein is depressed on the upper surface and protruding on the underside. Above: Leaf appearances can very greatly. The very large leaf shown here has a slightly different terminal lode than the one shown up above. The lobes all have teeth of varying sizes and the the leaf tapers to a slight wing on the stalk. Below: Robust plants can produce a number of scapes simultaneously with additional buds forming. Below: When the flower head matures the inner ring of phyllaries also reflex allowing the seed head to open. The olive to brown achenes have a long beak with pappus attached. The upper section of the ribbed cypsela has a series of very pointed teeth on the ribs.

Drawing courtesy of Kurt Stüber's Online Library. Below: The gossamer ball shaped seed head of the plant. The second photo (©Dan Tenaglia) is a comparison of the seeds of Red-seeded Dandelion, T. erythrospermum. Below: 1st photo - The seeds are spindle shaped with sharp ribs tapering abruptly to a long thin beak, several times longer than the cypsela itself. 2nd photo - The deep root system is deep and most of the root must be removed to prevent the plant from re-sprouting. Below: To some, a field of blooming dandelion is a splendid sight; to the urban lawn guru it is considered an abomination and has started more than one dispute among otherwise agreeable neighbors. However, in Spring when the pollinators are first active, the Dandelion is one of the few sources of nectar for them to build up their reserves after the long winter, thus some should be left for them until other sources are available. Notes: Common Dandelion is considered indigenous to the Garden especially since it is almost impossible to not have the plant show up when there are adjacent populations.

Eloise Butler noted its presence on May 25, 1907. Common Dandelion originally was brought from Europe and is now distributed across all of North America. According to DNR surveys both T. erythrospermum and T. officinale are found in Minnesota with T. officinale most widely distributed - most counties not reporting it are clustered in the SW quadrant of the state whereas T. erythrospermum if known in only 24 widely scattered counties, some in the metro area, but not Hennepin.. Uses- medicinal and practical: Members of the Taraxacum have been used for some time medicinally as a diuretic and in household food supplies as greens and in the making of Dandelion Wine (Mrs. Grieve -Ref.#7 - gives a recipe). The plant is a rich source of Vitamin C. For use as a salad herb, the herby taste of older leaves is dispelled by covering the leaves with boiling water, not cold water, then served cold with a dressing. Some say young leaves are fine as-is. Coffee (or some will say - a palatable bitter drink) can be made from the dried ground roots.

Dandelion beer was a fermented drink, cheaper and less intoxicating that grain beers, made from the leaves whereas the wine is made from the flowers. The root contains a stronger juice than the stems and medicinal uses of the root are recorded back to the early Arabian physicians of the 10 and 11th centuries. Mrs. Grieve (Ref. #7) has an extensive text on Dandelion. Nicolas Culpepper (Ref. #4b ) noted in 1652 that: "It is of an opening and cleansing quality . . . it openeth the passages of the urine both in young and old [which led to the name used by country people - 'Piss-a-bed']. And whoever is drawing towards a consumption, or an evil disposition of the whole body, called, by the use hereof for some time together, shall find a wonderful help. It helpeth also to procure rest and sleep to bodies distempered by the heat of the ague-fits, or otherwise: The distilled water is effectual to drink in pestilential fevers, and to wash the sores.

You see here what virtues this common herb hath, and that is the reason the French and Dutch so often eat them in the Spring: and now, if you look a little farther, you may plainly, without a pair of spectacles, that foreign physicians are not so selfish as ours are, but more communicative of the virtues of plants to people." References and site links Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin USDA Native Status: L48 (NI), AK (NI), HI (I), PR (I), CAN (NI), GL (NI), SPM (I) Unpublished. Non-native species. JAM. A common weed, its solitary flower head, each with numerous yellow ray flowers, tops a hollow, leafless stalk that rises from the center of a rosette of toothed leaves. Stem juice is milky. Unpublished. Non-native species. JAM. The popular name comes from dent de lion, French for lions tooth, referring to the teeth on the leaves. The young leaves may be used in salads and soups; wine is made from the heads.

Several species, some native to high mountain meadows, are similar to the Common Dandelion but may have reddish-brown fruits and outer bracts that do not curl. Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade Soil Moisture: Moist Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2) CaCO3 Tolerance: Low Soil Description: Esamy Benefit Use Food: The tender young leaves, rich in vitamins and minerals, make good salad or cooked greens. The delicate yellow flowers can be added to fritters and pancakes or made into wine. (Kershaw) Use Medicinal: The mildly laxative and diuretic leaves have been used in medicinal teas, digestive aids, diet drinks and rustic beers. (Kershaw) Tea of roots drunk for heartburn. Tea of leaves for tonic. Blossoms boiled with pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides) leaves and drank to releive menstrual cramsp. (Weiner) Conspicuous Flowers: yes Taraxacum officinale Dandelion - Kukraundha, Kanphool, Common dandelion, Dandelion PFAF Plant Database Care Summary Bloom Color: Yellow.

Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early spring, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid spring. Form: Spreading or horizontal. Physical Characteristics Taraxacum officinale is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft) at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone (UK) 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Apr to May, and the seeds ripen from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects, self, apomictic.The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure. Synonyms Edible Uses: Coffee ; Tea .

Leaves - raw or cooked[1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 33, 154]. When used in salads, they are rather bitter, though less so in the winter. Tender young leaves are considerably less bitter than older leaves[K]. The leaves are often blanched (by excluding light from the growing plant) before use[183]. This will make them less bitter, but they will also contain less vitamins and minerals[K]. A very nutritious food, 100g of the raw leaves contain about 2.7g. protein, 9.2g. carbohydrate, 187mg Calcium, 66mg phosphorus, 3.1mg iron, 76mg sodium, 397mg potassium, 36mg magnesium, 14000iu vitamin A, 0.19mg vitamin B1, 0.26mg vitamin B2, 35mg vitamin C[173]. Root - raw or cooked[5, 9, 12, 183]. Bitter.

A turnip-like flavour[159]. Flowers - raw or cooked[102, 159]. A rather bitter flavour[K], the unopened flower buds can be used in fritters[183] and they can also be preserved in vinegar and used like capers[7]. Both the leaves and the roots are used to flavour herbal beers and soft drinks such as 'Dandelion and Burdock'[238]. The roots of 2 year old plants are harvested in the autumn, dried and roasted to make a very good coffee substitute[2, 4, 5, 12, 54, 159]. It is caffeine-free[213]. A pleasant tea is made from the flowers[12, 102]. They are also used to make wine - all green parts should be removed when making wine to prevent a bitter flavour[238]. The leaves and the roots can also be used to make tea. Medicinal Uses Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Stomachic ; Tonic ; Warts .

The dandelion is a commonly used herbal remedy. It is especially effective and valuable as a diuretic because it contains high levels of potassium salts and therefore can replace the potassium that is lost from the body when diuretics are used[238]. All parts of the plant, but especially the root, are slightly aperient, cholagogue, depurative, strongly diuretic, hepatic, laxative, stomachic and tonic[4, 7, 9, 21, 54, 165, 176, 222, 238]. The root is also experimentally cholagogue, hypoglycaemic and a weak antibiotic against yeast infections[222]. The dried root has a weaker action[222]. The roots can be used fresh or dried and should be harvested in the autumn when 2 years old[4]. The leaves are harvested in the spring when the plant is in flower and can be dried for later use[9]. A tea can be made from the leaves or, more commonly, from the roots[213].

The plant is used internally in the treatment of gall bladder and urinary disorders, gallstones, jaundice, cirrhosis, dyspepsia with constipation, oedema associated with high blood pressure and heart weakness, chronic joint and skin complaints, gout, eczema and acne[238]. The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococci, Meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, Proteus etc[176]. The latex contained in the plant sap can be used to remove corns, warts and verrucae[7]. The latex has a specific action on inflammations of the gall bladder and is also believed to remove stones in the liver[7]. A tea made from the leaves is laxative[222]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Taraxacum officinale for dyspepsia, urnary tract infections, liver and gallbladder complaints, appetite loss (see [302] for critics of commission E).

Other Uses Compost ; Cosmetic ; Dye ; Fruit ripening ; Latex ; Miscellany . The flowers are an ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator[32]. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K]. A liquid plant feed can be made from the root and leaves[54]. A low quality latex, which can be used for making rubber, can be obtained from the roots of this plant. A magenta-brown dye is obtained from the root[141]. The plant releases ethylene gas, this stunts the growth of nearby plants and causes premature ripening of fruits[14, 18]. A distilled water made from the ligules (thin appendages at the base of the leaf blades) is used cosmetically to clear the skin and is particularly effective in fading freckles[7]. Cultivation details A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils[1], though it prefers a well-drained humus-rich neutral to alkaline soil in full sun or light shade[37, 238].

A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -29°c[238]. The dandelion is a common weed of lawns and grassy places. Though it has a bitter flavour, the plant is often cultivated as a salad crop and as a medicinal plant, especially in parts of Europe. There are some named varieties with larger, more tender and less bitter leaves[183]. Dandelions can provide edible leaves all year round, especially if they are given a small amount of protection in the winter[K]. A valuable bee plant and an important food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species[4, 24, 30, 54], it grows well in a spring meadow[24]. A deep rooting plant, it has roots up to 1 metre long and brings up nutrients from lower levels of the soil[201]. An excellent plant to grow in lawns, if the lawn is cut no more than fortnightly then the dandelions will provide a good quantity of edible leaves[K]. Grows well with alfalfa[18, 201]. Another report says that it inhibits the growth of nearby plants[54].

This is probably a reference to the fact that the plant gives off ethylene gas, this gas is a hormone that promotes the premature ripening of fruits and also induces the premature fruiting of plants, thereby stunting their growth[14, 18]. T. officinale is not a valid name for this species, but no valid name has as yet been ascribed to it[200]. This is actually an aggregate species of many hundreds of slightly differing species. Most seed production is apomictic which means that plants produce seed non-sexually and all seedlings are clones of the parent, thus small differences are maintained. Special Features:Edible, Not North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing, Suitable for dried flowers, Extended bloom season in Zones 9A and above. Propagation Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and either surface-sow or only just cover the seed. Make sure the compost does not dry out. Germination should take place within 2 weeks, though 2 weeks cold stratification may improve germination. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, choosing relatively deep pots to accommodate the tap root. Plant them out in early summer.

Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth. Other Names Found In Weed Potential Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking. Conservation Status IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Related Plants | The Wildlife Trusts The Wildlife Trusts Richard Burkmar About Counting down the clock as you blow the fluffy seeds from the head of a Common Dandelion is a familiar game to each and every one of us. These 'dandelion clocks' can carpet a grassland in fluffy white pillows straight after the bright yellow, gaudy flowers have already coloured it gold. Common Dandelions grow in all kinds of grasslands from lawns to roadside verges, pastures to traditional meadows. How to identify The Common Dandelion is actually a variety of forms or 'microspecies' and there are also a number of other Dandelion species, so identification can be tricky. Nevertheless, look for the familiar yellow flower heads displaying closely packed florets (tiny flowers).

The leaves of the Common Dandelion are lobed and spoon-shaped, and the stem exudes a milky white sap if it is broken. When it fruits, the seeds appear with their downy, white parachutes, and form a globular, packed seedhead. Where to find it Dandelion – eFieldGuide.com Latin Names: Taraxicum officinale This species needs little introduction. It grows in open places throughout much of the world, and is recognized by just about everyone. It was introduced to North America from Europe. The plant is a model weed, with a taproot that… Read more › Subscribe to our Newsletter! Stay up to date! Enter your email below to subscribe to the eFieldGuide.com newsletter. It's free, fun and educational, with great tips on how to get the most out of this site!

Question: Taraxacum Officinale is the Latin name of which common wild flower?
Answer: DANDELION